Thera 4.8: Rahula
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(193):Rahula Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter IV. Four Verses =193. Rāhula= Reborn in this Buddha-age through our Bodhisat, as the son of Princess Yasodhāra, he was reared with a great attendants of nobles. The circumstances of his entering the Monk’s order are recorded in the Khandhaka.1 And he, his knowledge ripened by gracious words in many Sutta passages,2 conjured up insight, and so won arahantship(enlightenment). Upon that, reflecting on his victory, he declared añña(supreme attainment): ---- 295 Ubhayeneva 35 sampanno rāhulabhaddo' ti maɱ vidū|| Yañcamhi putto buddhassa yaɱ ca dhammesu cakkhumā.|| || 296 Yaɱ ca āsavā khīṇā yaɱ natthi punabbhavo|| Arahā dakkhiṇeyyomhi tevijjo amataddaso.|| || 297 Kāmandhā jālapacchannā taṇhāchadanachāditā|| Pamattabandhunā baddhā macchāva kumināmukhe.|| || 298 Taɱ kāmaɱ ahamujjhatvā chetvā Mārassa bandhanaɱ|| Samūlaɱ taṇhamabbuyha sītibhūtosmi nibbuto' ti.|| || ---- 295 Twice blessed of fortune am I whom my friends Call 'Lucky Rahula.' For I am both Child of the Buddha and a Seer of truths; 296 Yes, and intoxicants(defilements/desires) are cleaned from me; Yes, and there's no more coming back to be. Ar'hant am I, worthy men's offerings; 'Thrice skilled' my understanding is of ambrosial things. 297 Blinded are beings by their sense-desires, Spread over them like a net; covered are they By covering of craving; by their heedless ways Caught as a fish in mouth of funnel-net,3 298 But I, that call of sense abandoning, Have cut and broken the bonds of devil's lure. Craving with craving's root abolishing; Cooled down am I now; extinguished is fever's fire.4 ---- 1 Vinaya Texts, i. 208 f. 2 E.g., Majjhima, Nos. 62; 147; Saŋyutta, iii. 135 etc. 3 Kumināmukhe. The kuminā, paraphrased by pasibbaka, a funnel-shaped net probably resembling our weir-traps. 4 Nibbuto. This is nearer to the Buddhist idea than the rendering given to this line in the Sisters, p. 19; see n. 4. ---- =4.8 193 Commentary on the stanza of Rāhulatthera= The stanza starting with ubhayena constitutes that of the venerable thera Rāhula. What is the origin? This one also, having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddha, accumulating acts of merit in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttera; on having attained the age of intelligence, he happened to have seen the Master placing a monk at the foremost place of monks who are keen on (kama) good conduct (sikkhā), himself also aspired for that ranking position, performed such acts of massive (Ulāra) merit as cleansing and embellishing (vijjotana) and so on, of the monastery and made his self resolution. Having passed away thence, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn in the womb of queen Yasodharā dependent upon our Bodhiset when this Buddha arose; having gained the name Rāhula he grew up with his large royal retinue of promcely warriors (khattiya); the deliberation of his renunciation was but as had come in the section (khandaka) of the Vinaya pitaka. Having presence of the Master, by means of many a string of expressions (suttapada), became all-round mature in knowledge, intently indulged in developing spiritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:– “In the palace of seven storeys, I (offered) mirror and spread to such a Sage as the Blessed One Padumuttara, the eldest of the world. The Great Sage, surrounded by a thousand canker-free Arahants, ruler of men and the bull among men came to His fragrant chamber. Making the fragrant chamber shine bright, the divine of the divine-beings, the bull among man, the Master, who had stationed Himself among the clergy of monks spoke these stanzas. I shall announcingly speak about him who offered me a brilliantly shining bed (seyya0 well laid out like unto a mirror; listen to me, while I am speaking. There will spring up (for him) palaces built of gold, executed with silver, and then made of beryl which ever may be dear to his heart. For sixty-four times, he will be divine king and will exercise celestial soverignty. Without any interval he will be a world- king a thousand times. Twenty one aeons (kappa) hence, he will become a world king of the princely warrior (khattiya) clan, named, Vimala, after having venquished the earth ending in four borders (caturanto). Reṇuvati will be the name of his city well made with bricks; its length will be three hundred combined (samāyuta) with four ‘short’ (rassa). His palace created by the divine architect (vissakamma) will bear the name Sudassana, complete with excellent pinnacle-roofed houses and adorned with seven sorts of gems. That city will be brimful of seven sorts of sounds and well inhabited (samākula) by bearers of charms (vijjadhara) and will become similar to the celestial city of Sudassana. Its exhibition (niggacchata) of shining splendour will be similar to the rising sun, it will always shine forth eight leagues (yejuna) all around. A hundred thousand aeons (kappa) hence, there will be the Master in the world, named Gotama by clan, the offspring of the family of Okkāka. Having passed away from Tusita, he, having been urged by his bright basis (Sukkamūla) will become the son of the Blessed One. Should be lead a household life, he would become a world-king. Such a thing as this that he will indulge in the delight of home- life will be our of place. Well with good conduct, he will come out of his house and become a monk; he will become a monk known by the name of Rāhula. Like unto the hen blue jay bird that looks after her eggs, resembling the yak (cāmarī) its tail, the Great Sage, mature in knowledge and endowed with moral precepts, looked after me. Having understood the tenth (dhamma) of His, I dwelt delightfully in the dispensation. Having all round understood all cankers, I dwell free from cankers. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship, he spoke three stanzas in order to reveal his Arahantship after having reflected upon his own proper performance (paṭipatti). 295. “Endowed with both varieties of prosperity my fellow-monks know me as Rāhulabaddha since I am son of Buddha, and since I possess insight into His teachings of truth (dhamma). 296. “Since my cankers had been destroyed, since there exists no more new existence, I am a worthy recipient of dedicated donations, endowed with threefold super- knowledge, (tevijjo) and I am the seer of the immertal abode (amata- ddaso). 297. “Blinded by sensual pleasures, entirely entangled (pacchannā) in the net (jāla), enveloped by the veil (chandana) of craving (taṇhā) and bound by Māra (panattabandhu), living beings resemble fishes at the entrance (mukha) of the fish net (kumina). 298. “Having brushed away that sensual pleasure and cut off the fetters (bandhanam) of Māra, and also having pulled out the craving (taṇhā) along with its root, I have become cool and attained the path to parinibbāna (nibhuto). There, ubhayen’eva sampanno means: endowed with, possessed of both varieties of prosperity comprising the prosperity of birth and that of proper performance (paṭipatti). Rāhulabhaddo ti maṃ vīdū means: my fellow – leaders of holy life know me well as “Rāhulabhadda” (Good Rāhula).” Indeed, on having heard the news (sāsenā) of his having been born, the reaction made by the Bodhisatta was “Rāhu jāto, bandhanaṃ jātaṃ (Rāhu has been born, there has become bondage);” with reference to (this) statement that had been made the great king Suddhodana took the name as “Rāhula.” Beginning from there, having taken even the manner (pariyāya) in which was said by his father he said; “Rāhulabhaddo ‘ti maṃvidū. Bhaddho means: this is the word of praise (pasamsa). Now in order to show that both barieties of prosperity, the statement: “Yen ca’mhi” has been made. There Yaṃ means: since (yasma). The word ca has the meaning of collection (samuccaya). Amhi putto Buddhussa means: I am the bosom son of the well Self-awakened Buddha. Dhammesu means: in the mundane and transcendental matters (dhamma); in the four fold moble truths of dhamma; thus, is the meaning. Cakkhumā means: I am a possessor of eye-sight by means of the eye of wisdom of the right path (magga); thus, it ought to be interpretted. Again, in order to show both varieties of prosperity in himself by means of many other manners he spoke the stanza starting with “Yañ ca me āsavā khīṇā. There, dakkhiṇeyyo means: worthy of dedicated donations (dakkhiṇāraho). Amataddaso means: the seer (dassāvī) of nibbāna. The rest is easily comprehensible. Now, because of the absence of the prosperity of knowledge (vijjā) and of the presperity of emancipation (vimutti), the multitude of creatures rools bout in the rounds of repeated rebirths (samasāra) resembling fishes bound (bandha) in a fishing net (kumīna); in order to show both varieties of prosperity in himself he spoke two stanzas starting with “Kāmandhā.” There, Kāmandha means: those who are blind either in sensual pleasures or owing to sensual pleasures; those who have been made blind because of the state of not seeing the disadvantage in such sensual pleasures of realities (vatthu) as beautiful from (rūpa) and so on, owing to sensual pleasure of depravity with such classifications as “Chando rāgo (desire lust).” Jālappacchannā means: ‘covered and enveloped (paliguṇṭhita) in any manner by the clinging (visattika) net which remained spreading over the whole of the three existences. Taṇhāchadanachāditā means: covered, hindered and aptly shut entirely by means of a covering reckoned as craving (taṇhā) but consequent upon that. Pamatta-bandhunā baddhā, macchā va kumunā mukhe means: these living beings, because they are bound by the bondage of sensual pleasures, which constitute that of Māra, the kinsman of negligence are like fishes bound at the entrance of fish-sack (pasibbaka) of fish-fasteners (bandha) at the mouth (mukha) of fish net (kumina); thereafter they do not go out from that net; they become but gone inside the net (bandhana). Taṃ means: the form like that (tathārūpaṃ); kāmaṃ means; which had become bondage (bandhanabhūtaṃ); ujjhitvā means: having forsaken (pahāya) by the preliminary (pubbabhāga) proper performance (paṭipatti); mārassa bandhanaṃ chetvā means: having well cut off without remainder by means of the knife (sattha) of noble (ariya) path (magga) the depravity (kilesa) Māra, again; samūlaṃ means: with the root reckoned as ignorance (avijjā) consequent upon that even; ***** abbuyha means: having pulled out (uddharitvā) the craving for sensual pleasures (kāmataṇhā) and so on; sītibhuto means have become cool owing to the absence of burning and heat of depravity; nibbuto means: reached nibbana by means of the element of such nibbāna which is with the residual substratum of existence (saupādisasa); thus, is the meaning. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Rāhula is complete. ---- MORE FROM BUDSAS.ORG ' ' RAHULA Rahula was the only son of Prince Siddhattha and Princess Yasodhara. He was named Rahula by his grandfather because the first word Prince Siddhattha said on hearing about the birth of His son was Rahu, which means obstacle. An obstacle to His renunciation had arisen. It was on the day that Prince Rahula was born that Prince Siddhattha made the Great Renunciation. With a heavy heart Prince Siddhattha left His beloved wife and new-born son to seek the path to end suffering for the benefit of mankind and Devas (divine beings). Prince Rahula saw His father for the first time at the age of seven. Princess Yasodhara pointed out the majestic Buddha with His retinue of monks to Rahula from the balcony of the palace. She then described his father, the Buddha, to her son in the Sutta known as "The Lion of Men". After praising and describing the Buddha, the Princess requested her son to approach his father and ask for his inheritance. As instructed, Rahula approached his father and asked for his inheritance. He then looked at his father and said, "Lord, even your shadow is pleasing to me." Rahula then followed the Buddha back to the Nigrodharama monastery where He was residing. The Buddha thought, "Little Rahula asks for his inheritance. But worldly treasures and wealth cause suffering. I shall give him the most valuable treasure in the world. I will give him the Dhamma." Calling Venerable Sariputta, His chief male disciple, He asked him to ordain little Rahula. King Suddhodana was very sad when he heard of the ordination of his beloved grandson. He said: "When the Lord renounced the world it was a cause of great pain to me. It was with deep sadness that I watched Nanda renounce the world. But it is especially painful when little Rahula renounces. The love of a father to a son is deep and cuts through the skin, flesh, sinew, bone and marrow. Grant, Lord, that Noble Ones will not ordain sons without permission of their parents." The Buddha readily agreed to this request and made it a discipline (Vinaya) of the Noble Order. Sariputta and Moggallana were little Rahula’s teachers. While Sariputta taught Rahula knowledge of the Dhamma, Moggallana concentrated on his conduct. Even though Rahula was only seven when he became a novice monk, he was very eager to accept instruction and was exceptionally cultured and obedient. Each morning he would rise and, taking a handful of sand, throw it up in the air saying, "Today may I receive from my teachers as much advice and instruction as these grains of sand." Shortly after Rahula’s ordination the Buddha taught him the importance of telling the truth. This discourse is known as the Rahulovada Sutta. The Buddha placed truth as the highest of all virtues. The seekers of Truth, (those who have as their goal Nibbana) should not break the precept of Truth. The Buddha explained this in a way a young child would understand by using the following example. Rahula had just washed the feet of the Lord and prepared a seat for Him. Taking the vessel which now contained a little bit of water at the bottom, the Buddha showed it to Rahula and said: "Rahula, do you see the small (insignificant) amount of water left in this vessel? Similarly, Rahula, insignificant (of little value) is the character of those who are not ashamed of telling lies." The Buddha then discarded this little bit of water and said; "Rahula, do you see how I discarded the little bit of water in this vessel? Similarly discarded (set aside and not recognized) is the character of those who are not ashamed of telling lies." He then overturned the pot that had contained the water and said, "Rahula, do you see how easily I overturn this vessel? Similarly easily overturned (easily influenced and changed) is the character of those who are not ashamed of telling lies." Finally, the Buddha placed the pot upright, showed it to Rahula and said, "Rahula, do you see this empty vessel that is void of any water? Similarly empty and void is the character of those who are not ashamed of telling lies." The Buddha said that the precept of truth was the most important of all the precepts, as a person who tells lies would very easily then break the other precepts and cover up his misbehaviour by telling lies. A person who always told the truth would not perform an act he would be ashamed to own up to later. The Buddha also instructed Rahula on reflecting and thinking before he acted to ensure that his actions were moral and conducive to the well-being of others and himself, by using examples and language a young child would understand. Showing him a mirror, the Buddha asked Rahula what a mirror was used for. Rahula replied that it was for the purpose of reflecting. The Buddha then said: "Similarly, Rahula, before you say or do anything, reflect. Reflect if this speech or action would be beneficial to others and yourself. If, when you reflect, you feel that it is not beneficial to others and to yourself, then refrain from saying and doing it. If you feel when you reflect that it is for the benefit of yourself and others, that such an action will not bring harm to another, that it is beneficial to others, then and only then should you perform this action. You should then perform this action again and again." With this simple but easily understood example the Buddha introduced little Rahula to mindfulness and the discipline of the mind before action so that his thoughts, speech and actions would be moral and wholesome. Rahula was well-known for his obedience and truthfulness. As the son of the Buddha and because of his pleasing nature and young age he was well-liked by all. When Rahula was eighteen, the Buddha preached to him a very deep discourse on sense desire. He helped Rahula, who was pleased with his very handsome appearance, understand the dangers of vanity. The Buddha, accompanied by Rahula, was seeking alms. They both looked exceedingly handsome, like a majestic royal elephant and his calf, a beautiful swan with his cygnet. Rahula, seeing the extremely handsome appearance of the Buddha, thought, "I too am like my parent, the Exalted One. Beautiful is the Buddha’s form and mine is similar." The Buddha instantly read his thoughts and said, "Rahula whatever form there is should be looked at as follows: "This is not mine; this am I not; this is not my soul." Rahula then inquired if it was only form that should be regarded thus. The Buddha then said that all five aggregates should be regarded thus. In this way the Buddha introduced the very deep and difficult concept of no permanent soul (anatta) to Rahula. Rahula then chose not to seek alms and instead went back and sat in meditation reflecting on the words of the Buddha, trying to understand and penetrate the Truth of the Buddha’s words. Shortly after, on hearing the Cula Rahulavada Sutta, he attained Arahanthship. Rahula passed away before the Buddha, Sariputta and Moggallana. The Buddha declared that Rahula was foremost among the monks for his high standard of discipline and obedience. Rahula, who had entered the order at the tender age of seven, was a role model for the younger members of the Noble Order through his obedience and pleasing nature. ----